Method of and apparatus for heating railway-cars



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

F. M. WILDBR. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING RAILWAY CARS.

. No. 373,089. Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

ATTORNEY (No Model.) 7 A 2 Sh F. M. WILDER- eets Sheet 2 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING RAILWAY CARS.

No, 373,039. Patented. Nov. 8, 1887.

w I A A K A K UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

FRANCIS MELTON WILDER, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SAFETY OAR HEATING AND LIGHTING COMPANY, OF NE\V JERSEY.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,039, dated November 8, 1887.

Application filedApril 14, 1887. Serial No. 234,839. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS MELTON WIL- DER, a resident of Binghamton, county of Broome, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Heating Railway-Oars, of which the following is a specification,

My invention relates to improvements in IO apparatus for heating railway-cars by steam; and it consists in the construction of a drum or storage-reservoir for steam secured to or madeapartof alocomotive-engine or its tender, and adapted to be supplied with steam blown r 5 off from an improved pop-valve located on the dome of an engine, or with live steam derived directly-from the boiler of the engine.

The object of myinvention is to utilize that portion of the steam generated in the boiler of 2c alocomotive-engine,and usually blown off into the atmosphere,to heat railway-cars drawn by such locomotive, and, further, to provide suitable apparatus for storing such steam until required for use. v In the accompanying drawings,whichi1lustrate my invention, similar letters of reference indicate like parts. v

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a locomotive-engine and boiler, and shows a steam- 0 drum located upon the tender,and its connection by pipes with the dome of the engine. Fig. 2 is a rear end view'of the engine-boiler and dome,and shows the location of the pipe which serves to convey live steam from boiler 5 to drum. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tender,

showing piping to drum. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of the steam-drum, showing steam distributing pipe therein. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the pipe connecting the boiler with the steam-drum, and shows a relief-valve in such pipe. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the steam-dome, and shows the arrangement of the pop-valve on the dome and the connection from valve to pipe which conveys steam to drum on tender. The construction of the valve is also shown. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in section of a portion of a pop-valve, and shows a packing-ring carried by the valve. 5o In the drawings I have shown alocomotiveengine and tender of the ordinary construction. Upon the tender is located a tank or drum, A, which may be of any desired construction or shape. Preferably the drum is cylindrical in form and is located upon the upper part of the tender back of the coal-space. This position for the drum is that which is most convenient in practice, as when so placed it will not interfere with the coal or water carrying capacity of the tender. I do not, however, limit myself to any special location for the drum. I may place it on the locomotive, or on or under the tender, or on or under a baggage or other car; and in carrying myimproved system of heating into use I may use one or more of such drums.

The drum or drums are connected to the source of steam by means of the pipe B, di vided into two branches at C-one branch, D, carried to a pop-valve on the steam-dome, and the other branch, E, connected directly with the dome. The flow of steam in the branch E is controlled by the valve F.

The branch E, which is adapted to convey live steam, is not intended to be used, except when the supply of steam from the pop-valve to the drum is not sufficient to properly heat the cars or the pop-valve is out of order.

The pipe B is carried through the coal-space of the tender and upward, entering the lower part of the drum, and it is connected with a perforated pipe, G, within the drum.

The pipe G is perforated for the purpose of more effectually distributing the steam throughout the condensed water H in the drum.

I is a check-valve in the pipe 13, which opens from the pressure of steam in the pipe B, and is closed by the pressure of water and steam in the drum when the steam-supply from boiler is cut off.

J indicates a pipe taken from the top of the drum A and carried to the coupling K, and there connecting with a main steam-pipe carried throughout the train and which serves to distribute steam to the heating apparatus of each of the cars.

Referring to Figs. 1, 6, and'7, L indicates a steam-dome such as is commonly employed on locomotive-engines. The dome is provided trarily determined, and adapted to. remain open until the boiler-pressure is reduced from one to ten pounds, or any required amount. Such valves are well known and their construction and mode of operation well understood. I have, therefore, not thought it necessary to show such a safety-valve in the drawings. The second pop-valve, N, employed by me is arranged opposite to the first on the dome, or otherwise, as desired. This valve consists of the guide-seat O tapped into the head-plate of the dome.

P is the valve-disk connected to the rod Q, around which is the helical spring R, adjustable by means of the nut and screw S, so as to determine the pressure required to lift the valve. The valve-disk P is surrounded by the tube T, and the disk is provided with the packing U, Fig. 7, so as to work closelyin the tube T.

V is a casing surrounding the valveN and tube T and connected with the branch D of the pipe B.

V is a pin-valve located in the side of the tube T, and adapted to be operated by the handle X on the outside of the dome. It will be understood that by reason of the tube T and the packing U in the valve-disk I, the pinvalve \V being closed, the valve will not be subjected to the influence of any back-pressure in the pipe D.

By opening the valve V the steam may enter above the valvedisk P, and so aid the spring to force the valve back to its seat.

The operation of my device is as follows: The pop-valves on the dome in my device are adjusted to pop at different pressuresthat is to say, the pop safety-valve discharging into the atmosphere may be adjusted to operate when the boiler-pressure exceeds one hundred and forty pounds, and the pop-valve adapted to discharge into the pipe D at any pressure above one hundred and thirty-eight pounds and below one hundred and forty pounds; hence when the valves are in good order the valve N will pop and discharge the surplus steam into the drum A, through pipes D B, until the pressure of the steam in the drum is equal to that in the generating-boiler, when the valve will close. Should the pressure in the boiler still exceed the safety-limit above one hundred and forty pounds, or other previously-determined pressure, the safety pop-valve will then open and discharge the surplus steam into the atmosphere. The steam discharged into the pipe B enters the drum, and in the first instance, when the drum is cold, is condensed into water, which fills the bottom of the drum. All subsequent steam that enters the drum heats the water, and

causes it in turn to generate steam, which can be draw 11 off as desired by the pipe Jto heat the cars. If desired, and if found necessary, the drum may be provided with a trap, IV, which will drain off any surplus water condensed in the tank. I11 order to keep the pipe 13 free from water, a valve, Y, Fig. 5, is located in the pipe, preferably at its lowest point, and is adapted to be closed by the pressure of the steam in the pipe, and to open and discharge any condensed water when the pressure is removed.

The drum A forms, so to speak, a reservoir for steam, and, where the capacity of the locomotive will permitof it, I may use two or more such drums, if required.

The connection directly to the boiler by the branch E of the pipe B provides a means for heating the water in the drum 0 by live steam, should the pop-valveNfail to pop, or become inoperative for any reason.

The pop safety-valve usually employed upon locomotive-engines is not altered or interfered with, and hence my device does not in anywise control the steam-pressure beyond the safety-limit.

I am aware that pop-valves similar in construetion to those described by me are not new, and such I do not claim. Neither do I wish to be limited to the employment of such a valve, as various other forms of valves may be employed to do the same work. Neither do I wish to be limited to the method shown and described for connecting a pop-valve and boiler with a drum. Various mechanical modifications may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and intent of my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. The herein-described method of heating railway-cars, consisting of transmitting the surplus steam generated in a boiler and emitted through a pop-valve to a drum or reservoir adapted to store the same, and subsequently conveying it to the heating apparatus of the cars themselves.

2. The herein-described method of heating railway-cars, consisting in transmitting the surplus stcam generated in a boiler and emitted through a pop-valve to a drum or reservoir containing a body of water, vaporizing said water by steam, and subsequently conveying the secondary steam thus generated to the heating apparatus of the cars themselves, and as required for use.

3. An apparatus for heating railway-cars, comprising a drum or reservoir for collecting and storing steam, a pop-valve located upon a steam-generator, and a pipe or pipes for connecting the two, whereby the steam emitted through the pop-valve shall be conveyed to and collected in the reservoir, substantially as described.

4. An apparatus for heating railway-cars, comprising a drum or reservoir for collecting and storing steam, a pop-valve located upon a steamgenerator, a pipe for connecting the two, and a pipe for connecting the said drum with the steam-generator, whereby the steam may be conveyed to the drum from the popvalve, or directly from the steam-generator.

5. An apparatus for heating railway-cars, comprising a drum or reservoir for collecting and storing steam, a pop-valve located upon a ICC steam-generator, a pipe for connecting said drum and valve, and a pipe for connecting drum to supply-pipe of heating apparatus of a car or cars.

6. In an apparatus for heating railway-cars, and in combination with a pop-valve, as described, a drum or reservoir for collecting and storing steam, and a perforated distributingpipe within said drum, as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In an apparatus for heating railwaycars, a drum or reservoir for collecting and storing s'team,in combination with a pop-valve located as described, a pipe for conveying steam from 5 pop-valve located as described, and a pipe for conveying the steam generated in said drum therefrom, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus for heatin g railwaycars, a drum or reservoir for collecting and storing steam, in combination with'a pop-valve, an 20 induction-pipe from the source of steam, and a check-valve in said induction-pipe adapted to be closed by the pressure from within the drum, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 25 hand this 8th day of April, 1887.

FRANCIS MELTON WILDER.' W'itnesses:

GEO. H. BENJAMIN, TRAJANO G. TORRES. 

